An Australian man has been charged with the murder of a teenage girl whose naked body was discovered inside a suitcase in Thailand. Pattaya City police confirmed to the Guardian that the suspect, Simon Peter Carman, 46, has denied all charges against him.
Arrest and Discovery
Carman was apprehended at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport on Friday evening in connection with the disappearance of Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, in Pattaya, located on Thailand's eastern Gulf coast. Following questioning in the early hours of Saturday morning, local police in Pattaya located a naked body in a suitcase near railway tracks, which they identified as Donhomla.
Police have filed three charges against Carman: murder, concealing a corpse to hide the cause of death, and abduction of a minor over 15 but under 18 for indecent purposes. Carman has denied all charges.
Video Statement and Evidence
In video footage obtained by the ABC and other media while Carman was in custody, he addresses the victim's family, stating, "I feel bad for what happened to your daughter. It was out of my control." He continues, "I hope you – I know you'll be very sad, upset. Same, same me. It shouldn't happen. I hope you're OK – I know you're not – but I hope and tell other girls just to be … careful …"
The footage appears to show scratch marks on Carman's upper arms and neck, which he attributes to spider bites: "I think it's a spider; they always get in here." CCTV footage, verified by police and seen by the Guardian, allegedly shows Carman and Donhomla holding hands in a condo lobby while waiting for an elevator shortly after 3:30 am on Thursday. Additional footage from later that evening, between 9:25 pm and 9:48 pm, allegedly shows Carman dragging the suitcase out of the building and leaving on a motorbike with it strapped behind him, returning without it between 9:57 pm and 10:06 pm.
Alleged Motive and Legal Context
Local Thai media, including the Thairath news website, reported that the incident began with a disagreement over money. Thairath stated that Carman pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self-defence, which resulted in Donhomla's death. Under Thailand's criminal code, a murder conviction can carry the death penalty or between 15 and 20 years' imprisonment.
The victim's father, Thongchai Donhomla, 46, expressed his grief to Reuters, saying, "I am deeply saddened. My daughter had no mother, so whenever she wanted anything, she would find a way herself, and she always helped me too."
Carman remained in custody at Pattaya City court on Sunday and will appear in court at a date to be determined.
